Automotive production in Canada rose during 2022 for the first time in five years, according to data from DesRosiers Automotive Consultants.
Light vehicle production in Canada totalled 1.24 million units in 2022, up 12% from a year earlier and a major reversal from a downturn experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Until last year, automotive production across Canada had been in steady decline, a situation that worsened coming out of the pandemic as global supply chains were disrupted and the industry faced a semiconductor shortage.
Canadian automotive production peaked at 2.36 million units in 2016. Since then, automakers have been cutting back shifts and closing plants, primarily in Ontario which is the country’s manufacturing centre.
The data from DesRosiers Automotive Consultants shows that General Motors (GM) increased its production in Canada by 306% during 2022 from a year earlier as it reopened its Oshawa assembly plant and began production of its BrightDrop electric van.
Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) recently forecast that automotive production in Canada will improve further in 2023 and reach an estimated 1.4 million units.
